1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicular cowl structure that takes noise-and-vibration (NV) performance and pedestrian protection performance into consideration.
2. Description of Related Art
In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-205902 (JP-2006-205902 A), there is disclosed a vehicular cowl structure. In this vehicular cowl structure, a cowl top (which is referred to also as a cowl outer panel), a cowl inner panel, and a cowl brace (a coupling member) are connected with one another to form a partially closed cross-sectional structure in a vehicle width direction. The cowl top is extended along a lower end of a front windshield glass in the vehicle width direction, and the front windshield glass is supported in the vicinity of the lower end thereof. Besides, the cowl inner panel is extended below the cowl top in the vehicle width direction, and an upper end of the cowl inner panel is connected with a lower end of the cowl top. The cowl brace is configured as a member that is obtained by flexing a band plate-shaped member with a narrow width generally into the shape of N as viewed from beside a vehicle. Also, such cowl braces are set at a plurality of spots in the vehicle width direction.
Flanges obtained by being bent are formed at both lateral portions of the aforementioned cowl brace in the vehicle width direction respectively. Furthermore, fragile portions configured as convex bulge portions are formed at a plurality of spots of each of the flanges in a vertical direction with respect to the vehicle (a position where a bent portion of the cowl brace is set) respectively. Thus, when a collision load is input to the vicinity of the cowl top, the cowl brace is bent at the fragile portions, whereby the energy at the time of the collision is absorbed. As a result, the collision reaction force input to a colliding body is reduced, and an improvement in pedestrian protection performance is achieved.
However, in the aforementioned related art, the generally N-shaped cowl brace is arranged in front of the cowl inner panel with respect to the vehicle. Furthermore, an intermediate portion of each of the cowl inner panel and the cowl brace in the vertical direction with respect to the vehicle is flexed convexly forward with respect to the vehicle. Thus, when a collision load is input to the cowl top from the upper side of the vehicle toward the lower side of the vehicle, the cowl inner panel and the cowl brace may be deformed in such a manner as to approach each other. As a result, the cowl inner panel and the cowl brace may interfere with each other.